Mom hilariously explains why we should all feed our kids dinner before the Thanksgiving meal

Whether you’re hosting or visiting loved ones for Thanksgiving, one mom on TikTok is here to issue a hilarious reminder that all parents will appreciate. TikTok user @craygardens advises parents to pre-game the Thanksgiving meal with foods their kids will actually eat, noting in her caption that “your happy meal kid isn’t eating anything with fennel in it, let’s be honest.” 

“Good morning,” she said behind sunglasses and with coffee mug in hand. “This is your annual reminder to feed your kids a regular dinner before Thanksgiving dinner. Alright, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, the series regulars. Thanksgiving is a tasting menu for them. No one needs tantrums because they’ve had half a roll and a drop of cranberry sauce all day.”

And you know what? She’s right. Every person, no matter their age, should have access to foods they’ll actually enjoy no matter the holiday or meal.

While some commenters felt that the variety present at the Thanksgiving dinner table ensures there will be something everyone will enjoy, others wholeheartedly agreed with her assessment. 

“Pack a lunchbox. No shame in the fed game,” wrote one user. “Because it’s really not worth ruining your dinner to force them to eat theirs 👌 😂” noted another. “We will be serving PBJ, nuggets and fries along with our regular thanksgiving menu. Everyone should get to eat something they enjoy,” agreed yet another.

Some lucky parents shared that their kids willingly eat everything on the Thanksgiving menu, but if your kid doesn’t for whatever reason, there’s absolutely no shame in serving them something they feel comfortable eating and genuinely like to eat. There’s plenty of other days in the year to work on them being a bit more adventurous. The end goal should always be fed and happy, not trying to please great aunt Mildred by forcing your kid to eat her food.